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Trimming spam Local entrepreneur says his firm’s technology turns junk e-mails into promos that hit the mark > PAGE 2 March 28, 2016 Vol. 19, NO. 11

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Drawing up a plan Head of city’s largest animation studio says industry needs ‘unified message’ to attract top talent to Ottawa.

Sue Pabari and Jay Lakhani of a small Ottawa company called Codework say firm’s web-monitoring software is making a name for itself. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

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LAUNCH PAD Ottawa startup’s promo-tailoring technology clicks with users RareLogic crunches data on customers’ buying habits in effort to personalize promotional e-mail blasts BY ADAM FEIBEL adam@obj.ca

MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

ttawa tech startup RareLogic is out to put an end to “one-size-fits-all” e-mail marketing blasts. Founded in 2014 and officially launched just over a year ago as an accessory to Shopify e-commerce stores, the company has been growing rapidly among online retailers looking to learn more about their customers and keep them coming back to buy more using RareLogic’s predictive data engine. The company looks at each customer individually, tailoring a message according to what each person is likely to respond to, rather than mass-e-mailing a single promo. “I’m sure like the rest of us you buy stuff online, and then I’m sure you’re relentlessly spammed by that retailer with crap you’re not interested in,” says CEO Rob Lane. “So we said why, in this digital age, do you still spam me with garbage?” The system works by gathering data on existing customers – such as which products

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they’ve purchased and when they tend to do their online shopping – and crunching it into a personalized profile of their individual buying habits, with suggestions for products they’re mostly likely to buy next. The store owner makes an e-mail template with placeholders that RareLogic fills in with different suggestions for different customers, meaning no two promo e-mails will look exactly the same. Some of the most popular e-mail marketing companies include MailChimp, Constant Contact and Campaign Monitor. But the effectiveness of the current practice of sending the same e-mail promo to thousands of people is dubious, Mr. Lane says. “They have a product they want to promote … and they blast it to their entire list. The odds of all that list actually being interested are very, very remote. So while you may be hitting a percentage of that list that actually likes the product you’re selling, you’re also alienating a much, much higher percentage of people that don’t care.” Instead, RareLogic uses segmenting and sub-segmenting in order to laser-target stores’ customer bases. The main measure of effectiveness is the click-through rate: the percentage of people who not only open the e-mail, but who follow the link to the product being promoted. The industry average for e-mail click-through rates is around three per cent, according to statistics compiled by MailChimp. RareLogic says it’s seeing an average of 10 percent and as high as 18 per cent in some stores that use its product, “just

“As humans we like to think we’re free-thinking, but actually we’re not – we’re very much passively driven. We’re very much creatures of habit.” – RARELOGIC CEO ROB LANE by giving people content they actually care about,” says Mr. Lane. “Which makes sense, really – but no one was doing it at scale.” Mr. Lane, 46, a Brit who came to Ottawa via Dallas in the early 2000s, has many years of experience running startups. After arriving in the capital, he helped guide optical tech company Tropic Networks to $10-million in quarterly sales as its vice-president of sales and marketing before the firm was acquired by Alcatel-Lucent in 2007. He then went on to co-found Overlay. TV, an interactive video provider for e-commerce, which fizzled out four years later. He then co-founded MyMusic, a Pinterest-style web platform for musicrelated content, which sold to a French multinational in 2014. So far, RareLogic has been installed by

about 1,600 Shopify stores, and the firm says that number has been growing rapidly. The company reports that to date it has sent more than 90 million e-mails on behalf of its clients, which it says translates into $6.5 million in incremental, directly attributable revenue for those stores. “As humans we like to think we’re freethinking, but actually we’re not – we’re very much passively driven,” Mr. Lane says. “We’re very much creatures of habit.” The firm has closed two seed rounds, the first for $480,000 in September 2014 and the second for $800,000 this past December. The company currently reports $16,000 in monthly recurring revenue, a figure it says has been quickly growing. RareLogic also plans to expand to other e-commerce platforms throughout 2016.

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CHANGE LOG TWO OTTAWA STARTUPS JOIN CANADIAN TECH ACCELERATOR IN U.S. Ottawa firms Nectar Desk and Postcard (formerly Travelabulous) have each been selected to join the Canadian Technology Accelerators program run by the Canadian Trade Commissioners Service. Nectar Desk will join the program in New York City, while Postcard will operate out of Boston. Postcard, a web and mobile travel planning network, says the firm will be in a “hotspot” for online travel startups, investors and partners. Nectar Desk, which provides cloud-based phone systems with analytic and reporting capabilities, says it hopes to establish an international presence and strengthen its investor network. CONTEXTERE TAKES PART IN GROUNDBREAKING AI DEVELOPMENT Data software company Contextere was accepted into the IBM Global Entrepreneur Program to integrate its technology with IBM Blue Mix and the Watson artificial intelligence engine. The Invest Ottawa portfolio startup is developing a personal software agent to deliver curated guidance and actionable insights to industrial workers. The firm was also accepted into the first wave of Microsoft HoloLens developers to work on real-world industrial applications for augmented reality technology.

L-SPARK STARTUP LAUNCHES PRODUCT IN SAN FRANCISCO CareerJSM, a two-man startup that is part of the L-Spark accelerator’s current cohort, debuted its job search management platform at the Launch Festival in San Francisco, an event that helped other startups such as FitBit, Dropbox and Mint get noticed in their early days. CareerJSM’s technology manages job searches for entry-level workers by providing information about prospective employers, finding potential opportunities and giving interview tips. The product is being delivered to 20 post-secondary institutions across Ontario, and the company says it’s also working on landing American clients. TENNIS MANAGEMENT FIRM ORBITHUB LAUNCHES NEW APP Invest Ottawa portfolio company OrbitHub, a web-based club management solution provider for tennis and other racquet sports, has just launched a mobile app, OrbitPlay, on Android. The app connects people locally for activities and shows them nearby playing facilities. OrbitHub will also be partnering with the City of Ottawa to offer public court tennis players new services to improve their playing experience. The app is now available on Android, with an iOS version coming by the summer. DRINK-CHILLING BALLS WIN DRAGONS’ DEN INVESTMENT Ottawa entrepreneur Dan Fallak has scored a $150,000 investment on the CBC show Dragons’ Den after fashion magnate Joe Mimran was impressed by his shrewdly marketed drinkchilling stones called Amazeballs (his company also makes beer-chilling products called Amazerods). The dragon now owns 50 per cent of the company. Mr. Fallak says he plans to attend major U.S. gift shows in hopes of landing distributors in order to expand the business.

Governments Are Key Supporters of Ottawa Business Ecosystem Bruce Lazenby, President & CEO of Invest Ottawa

n March 10, Invest Ottawa was privileged to host the Hon. Bardish Chagger, Minister of Small Business and Tourism. She toured our incubator, met some of the city’s most exciting startups and got a firsthand experience with some gamechanging technology. During her visit, Minister Chagger announced improvements to the Canada Small Business Financing Program. Terms for real property loans are being changed to allow small businesses to access up to $1 million over fifteen years. This will reduce cash flow pressures on small businesses by not overburdening them with demanding repayment terms. Earlier in March, the Government of Ontario announced it would be partnering with telecommunications company Huawei to add nearly 240 new research and development jobs to the province over the next two years. Huawei employs over 200 people in Ottawa and plans to spend $303 million to speed up hiring locally and throughout the province. These will be top tier jobs, critical to our local economy. And finally, IBM and the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) recently announced a combined contribution of

nearly $50 Million to the IBM Innovation Incubator, known as the I3 project. Jon Milne, our Managing Director of Innovation says, “This program is exciting because it allows Ottawa startups to build more innovation capacity leveraging IBM’s Watson. We are only scratching the surface on

Minister Bardish Chagger makes announcement at Invest Ottawa what capabilities and potential problems this technology can solve”. The I3 project will provide Ontario startups, like the ones at Invest Ottawa, an opportunity for business mentoring in areas like cloud, analytics, mobile, social and cognitive computing.

03 OBJ.CA

Minister Bardish Chagger interacts with virtual reality technology from local startup Brinx.

MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

Our government partners are a tremendous advantage for the economic development and growth of Ottawa’s knowledgebased industries. Whether its programs that provide seed capital or building relationships with trade commissioners in foreign markets, at Invest Ottawa we can explain the many public services available to help your business thrive. Please reach out for more information, we are always happy to help.

CONSTRUCTION Province’s affordable housing proposal rankles builders’ group

He says developers will end up passing the costs of constructing affordable units on to new homebuyers, making an investment that’s already out of the reach of many young families even less attainable. “Let’s forget this illusion that builders and developers can absorb constantly increasing fees, charges, taxes and levies,” Mr. Herbert said. “That’s an illusion some politicians might have, but it’s not reality. If we’re going to build affordable housing projects, they should be paid for through the tax base at large, whether it’s through a municipal tax base or the provincial tax.” Advocates of the new policy say it wouldn’t solve the province’s affordable housing woes, but it would help create a more balanced socioeconomic mix in new developments. Some local builders agree the plan has merit on those grounds. “Subject to the details, that is not inclusionary zoning policies, meaning necessarily a bad idea,” said Jeff Westeinde, builders would have to include a certain percentage of affordable units in every new founding partner of Windmill Development Group, the company behind high-profile development. mixed-use projects such as Zibi. Montreal and Vancouver already have “The thinking around social housing similar policies, as do many cities in historically was there were buildings for the United States. But John Herbert, the social housing and then there was market executive director of the Greater Ottawa housing, and never the two shall meet. I Home Builders’ Association, argues there think having mixed-used buildings makes are “much better tools” to deliver more for a much healthier community.” affordable housing.

Planned new legislation to allow cities to mandate affordable units will drive up new home prices, local industry association says BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca

MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

he Ontario government’s plan to allow municipalities to mandate affordable housing in new developments will hurt homebuyers by jacking up prices, a key local industry advocate says. The legislation proposed in mid-March would allow cities to establish so-called

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“If we’re going to build affordable housing projects, they should be paid for through the tax base at large, whether it’s through a municipal tax base or the provincial tax.” – JOHN HERBERT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GREATER OTTAWA HOME BUILDERS’ ASSOCIATION

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Still, he said it would be tough to support such a policy if it drove up condo costs substantially for buyers. “Is there an offset on (development fees)? Is there are offset on building permit fees? Those are going to be the key considerations,” Mr. Westeinde said. “At the end of the day, it’s not builders that end up picking up that cost, it’s the homebuyers themselves. In the absence of those details, it’s difficult to fully determine whether there will be an impact or not.” Mr. Herbert said many U.S. cities with inclusionary zoning offer tax incentives to developers as well as planning enticements such as “density bonuses” in which builders are allowed to exceed prescribed height limits in exchange for including affordable units. In New York City, he said, the policy is voluntary. The Ontario government has yet to release any details about its proposal, such as percentage requirements or definitions of “affordable.” The province plans to consult with members of the public, homebuilders and interest groups before introducing legislation, and it will probably be years before inclusionary zoning is an option for municipalities. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said he needs to know more about the proposal before deciding whether inclusionary zoning is something he would push at council. “I think we need to have a clear indication as to what the province’s intentions are,” he said. “From there, I think we’d have to hear from the many different sides – from the builders, from the advocates for affordable housing. I’d like to see how it’s worked in other jurisdictions. I haven’t really followed how effective it’s been in other jurisdictions, to see if it does in fact create a significant increase in affordable housing options. I want to keep an open mind. The devil is always in the details when we get these kinds of tools from another level of government.” Mr. Herbert also questioned the need for new legislation when Ontario cities already have the power to exchange density for affordable units under Section 37 of the provincial planning act. The clause allows the owner of a property who wants to build something that violates existing zoning bylaws to negotiate with a city to provide community benefits in exchange for approval. Most of the time, Mr. Herbert said, Section 37 ends up being used to build parks and recreation facilities rather than affordable housing. “That’s a tool that’s available right now if (cities) wanted to use it,” he said. “But historically, municipalities really haven’t used it for affordable housing.” The inclusionary zoning plan is part of the province’s long-term affordable housing strategy, which includes an investment of $178 million over three years announced in the recent Ontario budget.

REAL ESTATE “This happens to be kind of at the corner of Main and Main when you talk about transportation-oriented development. When you look at the landscape, there’s not a whole lot of other opportunities for private-sector development so close to the future LeBreton Flats.” – NATHAN SMITH, SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT AT CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD

Ottawa’s next ‘it’ neighbourhood?

proposal, including its layout and retail components, have yet to be determined. Trinity filed its planning application at City Hall in mid-March, he said, and the company is hoping to begin construction on the project by the summer of 2017. Trinity is discussing “any and all possibilities” with the city, he said, including an encroachment along the easterly portion of the O-Train corridor or a build-over to the west side of the rail line near Tom Brown Arena. He said the company is in “active discussions” with a number of potential retail tenants but heart of a new era of urban intensification wouldn’t name them. in the Bayview district, close observers of “It’s early days,” Mr. Caco said. “Typically, the local real estate scene argue. The land tenants will not sign on the dotted line until is right beside the City Centre complex you have your zoning in place.” and a stone’s throw from the city’s new Trinity also hasn’t made a final Innovation Centre, which is slated to open decision on whether the residential units at Bayview Yards this fall. will be condos, rental apartments or a “I don’t think it’s any secret that this is combination of both, he said. the next ‘it’ neighbourhood for Ottawa,” Mr. Caco said the development said Warren Wilkinson, associate vicecompany believes the area near Bayview president at the Ottawa office of Colliers station will eventually become a high-traffic International. “I think this is where we’re corridor similar to the intersection of Yonge going to see the most exciting growth in Street and Eglinton Avenue in Toronto. The Ottawa for the next 10 years.” Confederation Line is slated to open in DCR/Phoenix previously owned the the spring of 2018 and is expected to carry land and still retains a stake in the property thousands of transit commuters to the area and proposed new development. In 2012, each day. it received approval to build three towers “It’s the only crossroads in the entire LRT on the site in the hope of leasing space to (system) in the city of Ottawa,” he said. “I the federal government but never followed don’t know day one, but in the future, yes. through on the plan. Because it’s a natural transit crossroads, Mr. Caco said exact details of the new with everything that’s going on in the

Real estate experts say Trinity’s plan to build towers near intersection of O-Train lines could spark wave of development in Bayview area BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca

MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

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rinity Development Group’s proposed mixed-use complex that would span the O-Train tracks near Bayview station could become the centrepiece of Ottawa’s next great urban gentrification project, real estate experts say. Trinity vice-president of development and design Brad Caco said earlier this month the company is negotiating with the city for the air rights to build over the O-Train Trillium Line. Trinity hopes to develop the two-hectare site at 801 Albert St. with up to four highrises that would include a mix of retail, office and residential space. Located at the intersection of the Trillium and Confederation light-rail lines, the property is ideally situated to be the

neighbourhood in terms of (the proposed redevelopment of) LeBreton (Flats) … I believe that transit is what’s providing the opportunity here.” Nathan Smith, senior vice-president at Cushman & Wakefield’s Ottawa brokerage, agreed. “This happens to be kind of at the corner of Main and Main when you talk about transportation-oriented development,” he said. “There’s no question that the city is prepared to let developers push the envelope as far as density goes on sites that are within close proximity to these massive transit stations. When you look at the landscape, there’s not a whole lot of other opportunities for private-sector development so close to the future LeBreton Flats.” The planned redevelopment of the Flats would give the neighbourhood a boost, but even without it the Bayview area is still on track to become a bustling transit hub, Mr. Caco said. “Naturally, it’ll be positive, but we’re not relying on it,” he said of LeBreton’s revival. “This site could stand on its own.” Nearby retail and office developments, such as Equity Realty Group’s City Centre complex, could also be prime targets for a makeover once the Confederation Line is running, Mr. Smith said. Built in the 1960s, the development includes an eight-storey office tower and a row of warehouse bays. Often denounced as one of the city’s biggest eyesores, City Centre was spruced

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up a few years ago and has become one of the neighbourhood’s hottest retail and commercial complexes thanks to tenants such as Art Is In bakery and Beyond the Pale brewery. Still, the Bayview district’s community design plan adopted in 2013 allows for buildings as high as 30 storeys on the property, meaning the City Centre land could become considerably more valuable if transit-related development really takes

off next door. John Zinati of District Realty, which manages City Centre, told OBJ he had no comment on the potential impact of the Trinity proposal. “When it was originally built, it was leading-edge as far as density goes for the area,” Mr. Smith said of City Centre. “Clearly, now it’s an urban site that is underdeveloped.” But Mr. Wilkinson said anyone expecting a wave of redevelopment on the property might be waiting a while. “I’m not entirely certain that it necessarily needs it,” he said. “I think with patience and some proper planning and some good guidance on a tenant mix, City Centre in and of itself can transform itself … to one of the trendier urban redevelopments. A balanced market has a combination of A-, B- and C-class properties.” The direction and magnitude of future development in the Bayview area could depend on how Trinity’s project pans out, Mr. Wilkinson said. “You need a start,” he said. “I think … the light rail transit line is a fantastic start. With the right vision, I think the rest will come naturally. People will probably want to see some successes before they start making any major moves.”

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COMMENTARY Most of the advice I’ve seen from so-called experts suggests families can cut their food bills by switching to lower-priced alternatives, such as canned vegetables instead of fresh ones – an awful suggestion government tracked supermarket prices across the country, Ottawa’s food prices were among the lowest in Canada and sometimes the lowest. Today, competition among Ottawa grocery stores appears to be as intense as ever. By some estimates, a typical Canadian family can expect to spend about $345 more on groceries this year than in 2015 due to rising food prices, largely accounted for by the fall in the value of the Canadian dollar. Most of the advice I’ve seen from socalled experts suggests families can cut their food bills by switching to lower-priced alternatives, such as canned vegetables instead of fresh ones – an awful suggestion. How about good, old-fashioned shopping around? You will save much more that way. I recently checked out four big grocery stores all within a short distance of my home in the west end, and found I could save a staggering sum of almost $90 on a total of 18 fresh grocery items by cherrypicking the lowest price I found for each item. I checked prices of the 18 items at Farm Boy, Real Canadian Superstore, Sobeys and Walmart. The items were mostly fresh fruit, vegetables and meat. I added up the lowest price I found for each item, and then I added up the highest price for each item. the gradual slide in prices starts again. The difference came to $89.23. When I bought a tank of gas earlier this The quantities were what a family of year, I had noticed the price was unusually four might buy on a single grocery visit. low. Sure enough, the pump price went The biggest price difference was on one up by eight cents a litre as soon as I left the kilogram of strip loin steak. station. Oddly, I found the highest and lowest Consumers must pay attention and prices for this item in the same store fill up when the price of gas is slipping. If (Sobeys). The store offered a choice of not, they will usually end up subsidizing strip loin steak of two apparently varying motorists who time their purchases when qualities – one about $45 a kilogram prices are on a downslide. and the other about $20. So there was a But don’t be greedy. It’s like the stock potential saving of $25 on just that one market – you can’t expect to buy a stock item. when it is at its rock-bottom price. I I asked the butcher if the more happened to be lucky the day the price expensive steak was worth the much higher went up as I left the station. price. “I don’t know. I’ve never tried it,” he In Ottawa, competition in the sale replied. He said the higher-priced steak of gasoline seems to have intensified in was from more expensively raised cattle. I recent years since retail giant Costco began bought the lower-priced steak, and it was selling gas at its location on Hunt Club fine. Road near Merivale Road. There is some truth in the saying, “You Costco is a shopping club that charges get what you pay for.” But it’s a much members a fee, enabling it to sell gas at a greater truth that “It pays to shop around.” lower margin. It also offers fewer options And that’s especially true in the fiercely to pay by credit card than most gasoline competitive Ottawa retail grocery scene, retailers, meaning it doesn’t have to absorb where stores compensate for big discounts as many fees from credit card companies. on some items by charging high prices on But while there appears to be plenty others. of competition among gasoline retailers, it pales in comparison with competition Michael Prentice is OBJ’s columnist among supermarkets. on retail and consumer issues. He In the past, when the federal can be contacted at news@obj.ca.

Food for thought on smart shopping

The consumer still rules when it comes to buying groceries and gas, Michael Prentice writes

MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

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he consumer rules – especially when buying groceries or gasoline. These are among the most competitive retail businesses, I believe. Here are two examples, the first from the grocery store. In December, a drought in California and a weak Canadian dollar pushed the price of a fresh cauliflower as high as $8 in Ottawa supermarkets. Consumers stopped buying, and the price of cauliflower at many big grocery stores dropped to about half what it was at its peak. Meanwhile, the price of oil has fallen through the floor with serious implications for Canada’s economy, which heavily is dependent on oil production. But it’s an ill wind that blows no one any good, and consumers are reaping the benefits in the form of the lowest pump prices in years. Why do retail gasoline prices go up and down like a yo-yo? I believe it has little or nothing to do with profiteering. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. In my view, it is chiefly due to retail competition, as oil companies and individual gas stations gradually lower their pump price to gain a temporary edge (of a fraction of a cent per litre) over their nearby competition. For gasoline retailers, sooner or later there has to be a price correction, and then

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Wearables startup GestureLogic files for bankruptcy protection BY HALEY RITCHIE Special to OBJ

n Ottawa company heralded for its potential in designing a high-tech wearable for fitness junkies has filed for bankruptcy protection. “It’s taking a toll from every angle,” said GestureLogic founder Leonard MacEachern. Since it was founded in 2013, the company has received plenty of attention and accolades for LEO, a high-tech monitor that measured everything from an athlete’s heartbeat to hydration levels via a fabric band worn around the thigh. Despite the competitive nature of the “fitness wearable” market that includes players such as FitBit and Nike, the company landed funding that included $250,000 from Carleton University chancellor Charles Chi and $250,000 from the Ontario Centres of Excellence.

The product was originally expected to be released in April 2014, but Mr. MacEachern said the company ran into manufacturing complications. Court documents indicate that at least $1.5 million would have been needed to bring the product to market, but when the firm approached investors for a second round of funding, support had dried up. Earlier this month, an Ottawa judge granted the company time to sell its intellectual property, which could help cover the $1.9 million owed to investors. A more complicated legal situation is the company’s 2014 crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo that raised $143,709 in two months. Indiegogo doesn’t accept liability for failed projects, and Mr. MacEachern’s lawyer said the company is still examining its options. This article originally appeared on metronews.ca on March 17.

April 21, 2016 // SHAW CENTRE

We are proud to announce the Finalists for the Businesswoman of the Year Awards.

Professional

Deborah Bourchier Managing Partner GGFL

Entrepreneur

Katherine Cooligan

Regional Managing Partner Borden, Ladner, Gervais

Margo Crawford

Caroline Etter

President, CEO and founder Business Sherpa Group

Company

Jackie King

Senior Vice President Hill and Knowlton

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President/Owner Ascribe Inc.

Shana Levin

Natasha Morano

Vice President Broadway Across Canada

Vice President Economic Club of Canada

Who will be this year’s recipients in the Professional, Entrepreneur and Company categories? Join us on April 21st and find out.

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Left to Right: MNP – Doug McLarty, Regional ExitSmartTM Leader, Startup Canada – Victoria Lennox, Co-founder and CEO, MNP – Gordon Wright, Senior Manager

REPAIR, RESTORE, REGENERATE

MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

Many people don’t think much about orthopaedic surgery unless grandma is scheduled for a knee or hip replacement, but not only is there much more to this particular branch of medicine, it actually touches a wide range of ages, patients, illnesses and accidents.

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One of the most promising areas of research is Originally from Quebec City, Dr. Beaulé bone growth and regeneration, and to prove their first came to Ottawa in 1986 to do his graduate point, the members of the Division of Orthopaedic work. He also did his orthopaedic residency here, Surgery (who practice at both The Ottawa Hospital finishing in 1998. After a two-year fellowship in Los and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Angeles he practiced at UCLA for five years before (CHEO) have committed to donating $1M for the returning to Ottawa in 2005. At this time he lead establishment of a Research Chair in Regenerative the reconstruction group – which is hip and knee Orthopaedic Surgery at The Ottawa Hospital surgeries – and took over as division head last year. (TOH). It is to be the first position of its kind in Hips are Dr. Beaulé’s particular area of expertise. Canada. He encounters the whole array of hip problems: from DR. PAUL BEAULÉ, HEAD, DIVISION OF ORTHOPAEDIC “If you are asking patients or members of the early cartilage damage in young adults, to deformities SURGERY AT THE OTTAWA HOSPITAL. PHOTO BY ELLEN BOND community to donate, I think the best thing to that carry through childhood, trauma, arthritis, and do is lead by example and show the way,” says Dr. age-related wear and tear. Beaulé, Head of Orthopaedic Surgery at TOH. “The “Orthopedics covers a huge spectrum of donation shows a lot of commitment… and the fact pathology, not only because there are so many parts “We are on the cusp of a better understanding that we sincerely and truly believe it is an important to it and different joints, but there are many ways the of how the bone works and how it interacts tool to reach the next level of excellence in care.” musculoskeletal system can fail,” says Dr. Beaulé. with aspects of the musculoskeletal system,” The Ottawa Hospital Foundation will raise the As medicine evolves, TOH is bringing the world’s says Dr. Beaulé. “The bone is the pillar of the additional $500,000 needed to create the new position understanding of the musculoskeletal system to the musculoskeletal system, everything – the tendon, but Dr. Beaulé hopes the community’s generosity will next level in regards to the regeneration of bone. This the muscles attached to the bone, the cartilage has surpass that amount. is ultimately the reason behind the establishment of a its support from the bone, everything is around The new Chair will conduct cutting-edge bone Research Chair in Regenerative Orthopaedic Surgery. the bone. What’s fantastic about bone, and why and soft tissue tendon related research with the hopes A deeper understanding can translate to other areas of it is such an exciting field, is that the bone is one of translating the knowledge discovered in the lab regeneration in the body as well. of the only tissues in the body that can bioto the bedside. The goal would be to advance the regenerate. If you cut it, or break it, put it back provision of health care to our aging population, together, and look at it a year later, you don’t see providing world-class musculoskeletal care to a scar.” patients right here in Ottawa. These latest steps are part of TOH’s The timing couldn’t be better. commitment to world-class care, which Certainly, the momentum has already focuses on the patient experience, been growing: “You build the leading technologies and patientinfrastructure, you build the oriented research. But the new connections and you reach a Chair will be more than just a critical mass… now is our time researcher with a great track to establish that Research record. Chair,” says Dr. Beaulé. “The research will have This year also marks to answer to the needs of the 50th anniversary of the the patients and be very Division of Orthopaedic applicable,” says Dr. Surgery, which was Beaulé. “Because at the established by Drs Hew end of the day it’s all Kellam (Civic Hospital) about the patient.” and Jacques Robichon (General Hospital) and now includes surgeons fractures, limb threatening arthroscopy, replacement, from TOH and CHEO. A gala dinner on May 13 injuries, trauma spine, osteotomy This is the sixth part of at the Canadian Museum of an ongoing series about The History will officially kick off Ottawa Hospital. Look for the fundraising. evolving archive on obj.ca.

VOLUME OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERIES AT TOH LAST YEAR

URGENT

ELECTIVE

2120

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THE OTTAWA HOSPITAL

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“WE WANT ORTHOPAEDICS TO BE THE TOP IN THE COUNTRY AND THE TOP 10 PER CENT IN NORTH AMERICA. AND WE’RE TAKING INCREDIBLE STEPS – TANGIBLE STEPS – TO ACHIEVE THAT”. — DR. PAUL BEAULÉ, HEAD, DIVISION OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY AT THE OTTAWA HOSPITAL.. PHOTO BY ELLEN BOND

MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

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GOVERNMENT

“There’s nothing in there that an entrepreneur would look at and say, ‘Because of this, I’m going to start up (a company) or I’m going to grow bigger or I’m going to scale to this market.’” – VICTORIA LENNOX, CEO OF STARTUP CANADA

Finance Minister Bill Morneau addresses the crowd at a post-budget breakfast at the Chateau Laurier on March 23. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

‘Pre-innovation budget’ earns passing grade from biz group Liberal spending plan lays groundwork for discussions with industry but doesn’t meet needs of entrepreneurs, Startup Canada boss says BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca

MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

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he new federal budget “lays the foundation” for a stronger innovation economy, a leading local startup advocate says, while clean-tech supporters say the Liberals’ promise of a new infusion of cash for green projects will help boost the sector’s growth in Ottawa. Startup Canada CEO Victoria Lennox said the budget basically delivered what the small business community expected. In particular, she praised the Liberals for backing down on their election pledge to fully tax individual stock option gains exceeding $100,000. The Ottawa-based organization lobbied the government to scrap the proposal, arguing startups use stock options as an important tool to attract

talent at a time when they might not be able to afford to pay top dollar to new recruits. “It would have really dis-incentivized growth in startups here in Canada,” Ms. Lennox said. The new budget, released by Finance Minister Bill Morneau on March 22, contained some announcements designed to boost Canada’s innovation sector. The Liberals promised to provide $800 million over four years to support “innovation networks and clusters,” but the first $150 million won’t be doled out until the 2017-18 tax year so Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains can consult with industry groups. “It lays the foundation for a wider innovation strategy,” Ms. Lennox said. “I kind of think of it as a pre-innovation budget.”

However, she also said the budget failed to provide any incentives to encourage more Canadians to start their own businesses. She said she was particularly disappointed the Liberals didn’t follow through on their promise to cut the small business tax to nine per cent from 10.5 per cent. “There’s nothing in there that an entrepreneur would look at and say, ‘Because of this, I’m going to start up (a company) or I’m going to grow bigger or I’m going to scale to this market,’” Ms. Lennox said. “I think what it does is it creates an opportunity for the entire ecosystem to have a national conversation about the concrete policies that we need to put in place in order to create that innovation infrastructure. This is an infrastructure budget, not an innovation budget, but I think it sets the tone for the conversation that the

government wants to have over the next 12 months.” The government also offered some goodies to the clean-tech sector, vowing to spend $1 billion over the next four years on clean technology development and demonstration projects, including new cash for a government-run venture capital fund focused on enterprises related to sustainable technology. Ottawa green energy consultant Marc McArthur applauded the Liberals for recognizing the sector’s importance, something he said the Conservatives never did. “There is a lot that can be done with the resources that have been promised at this point,” said Mr. McArthur, the president of Crosstaff Solutions. “It’s a really excellent outcome. I can’t imagine that there would be a lot of dissatisfaction in the sector with what’s been presented.” He said the Liberals’ commitment to give Canadian municipalities $2 billion over four years to upgrade pipes, sewers and other water treatment infrastructure will provide new opportunities to the capital’s growing clean-tech sector. “I think having this pool of capital that is dedicated to green infrastructure enables the City of Ottawa to be more open to alternative (energy) solutions, whereas before maybe fiscal or other constraints may have prevented that,” he said. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson called the budget “very good news” for local residents. Among the nuggets for the nation’s capital are $156.4 million to expand the Canada Science and Technology Museum, $114.9 million to revamp the National Arts Centre and $62 million for a sewage tunnel to clean up the Ottawa River, among others. The Liberals have also pledged to fund as much as 50 per cent of public transit improvements over the next three years, welcome news in a city that is planning to launch the next phase of its light rail program. “It’s a very positive signal on the part of the federal government that they understand that there are a number of municipalities that don’t have the full financial capacity to pay for all these projects,” Mr. Watson said. “If we want to see light rail travel farther east and west and south, this gives us that opportunity to free up about $500 million.” Ms. Lennox said she hopes the Liberals turn their focus to entrepreneurs in future budgets. “I don’t think there’s room for broken promises,” she said. “I just hope that they continue to listen and hold true to the development of this innovation strategy. We need to really make sure that the entrepreneur at the end of the day is front and centre. We need to move away from lobbyists towards user-centric policy development.” — With files from Lucy Scholey, Metro

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Investing in Ottawa’s future by empowering local youth Hydro Ottawa & Christie Lake Kids – Partners on the ice and beyond

ow can your business become a community leader by giving all youth the opportunity to lead full and productive lives? Being able to take part in organized sports as a kid is about much more than just playing a game. It can build character and provide the positive mentorship needed for them to become successful adults. That’s why Hydro Ottawa teamed up with Christie Lake Kids to create the Hydro Ottawa Sustainable Youth Leadership Centre on Christie Lake, southwest of Perth. It also funds Christie Lake Kids’ Skills Through Activity and Recreation (STAR) Hockey and Skating Program.

For 90 years, Christie Lake Kids has provided recreational and skills development programs at no cost to economically disadvantaged children from across Ottawa. On March 18, kids and kids-at-heart once again laced up to play a fun hockey game as part of the STAR program. About a dozen Hydro Ottawa volunteers and 15 kids involved in Christie Lake programs took part in the seventh Hydro Ottawa STAR Cup tournament. “We’re so excited to once again be hosting this fun, supportive tournament that both the kids and our staff volunteers look forward to twice a year,” said Bryce Conrad, President and CEO

of Hydro Ottawa. “Our partnership with CLK is one of the ways we make a positive difference in our community it and continues to grow stronger every year.” Hydro Ottawa has contributed more than $100,000 to Christie Lake Kids and as part of the March 18 tournament at Brewer Arena, presented the organization with a cheque for $43,129. “This relationship is extremely important to us and the Hydro Cup, in particular, provides a wonderful opportunity for mentorship and role-modelling to occur,” said Jeff Burry, Executive Director of Christie Lake Kids. “Our ‘Kids’ really look

Hydro Ottawa volunteers teamed up with CLK on March 18 for the seventh STAR Cup game

up to the Hydro Ottawa players. The support and nurturing that takes place both on and off the ice is invaluable. It goes a very long way in helping our kids develop their self-confidence and self-esteem.” Christie Lake Kids continues to help children and youth by providing skating and hockey development programs with all barriers to participation removed – like transportation, equipment, and registration fees. “I really like hockey because I get to learn new things with other people,” said

11-year-old Christie Lake kid Tri-Anne. “I played in the last Hydro STAR Cup and it was on my birthday, which was fun because I got to hold the STAR cup. I like spending my time in hockey because I like spending my time on something better than electronics. Thank you Hydro for giving me a chance to play hockey!” So consider – how can your business help our next generation through financial or in-kind contributions to organizations, initiatives and events in Ottawa that support youth?

MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

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TECHNOLOGY Web watchers An Ottawa software package called CurrentWare is making a name for itself in the growing field of employee Internet monitoring BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca

hen Kevin Porsche kept getting requests from his company’s human resources department to find out what websites employees were visiting, he knew there had to be a better way than checking every computer. “You can go through the typical history view on an individual PC, but it wasn’t really co-ordinated to one central location,” says Mr. Porsche, the IT administrator at Shady Maple, a farm market in eastern Pennsylvania. “It was … going onto the (employee)’s machine and hoping they didn’t clear out their history, things of that nature. The more requests I got from our HR

department requesting what the user was doing at a particular point in time, it became apparent that we needed to get a central management (system) in place for our web (monitoring) activity.” After doing some research on web monitoring software, he recommended Shady Maple go with an Ottawa brand called CurrentWare. The small south-end firm, which makes a series of Internet filtering, monitoring and security products that help clients keep track of their workers’ Internet use, is the only local company in the lucrative space. Shady Maple started using CurrentWare’s BrowseReporter monitoring software five years ago and now has it installed on more than 100 devices. “It’s been very effective,” says Mr.

Porsche, adding a number of employees have been dismissed or disciplined at least partly due to their web surfing habits since the software was installed. “There is no disputing when an issue does arise. The reports are 100 per cent accurate. It’s become extremely useful for our HR department.” Initially introduced by CurrentWare’s parent company Codework in 2003, the software has evolved over the years to include more features and services. Today, it works on a range of devices from laptops to smartphones and is especially popular with financial and health-care institutions south of the border, says Codework founder Jay Lakhani. Its biggest clients include Honeywell, the United States House of Representatives and Microsoft, which monitors its Xbox customer support workers using CurrentWare products. Companies pay a one-time price for the software licences and an annual fee to access CurrentWare’s service and maintenance services. Mr. Lakhani, whose firm employs about half a dozen people in Ottawa and 20 worldwide, says more and more companies are looking for a way to efficiently ensure their employees have

their eyes on work-related websites during office hours and aren’t gambling, shopping or looking at porn. “What we’ve learned is that companies generally have standard corporate policies,” he says. “That really helps to make the playing field a bit level in the sense that policies say we understand you do have a need to use the Internet, but we’re also trying to make sure that productivity is not affected.” The firm has averaged “steady” eight to 10 per cent annual revenue growth since the software was introduced, he says, adding 2015 was its best year yet with sales of about $1.5 million. “It’s been a very positive business cycle for us,” Mr. Lakhani says. “It’s definitely a growing space.” Recent survey findings appear to bear that out. A 2014 survey by Salary.com found that about 42 per cent of 750 employers who responded said online activities were the biggest time-wasting activity at the office. In another survey that year, the Human Capital Institute found that 65 per cent of companies polled have a policy for blocking websites and 60 per cent said it was effective at keeping workers more focused on their jobs.

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Nominations for the 2016 Awards have begun! Is your company experiencing remarkable revenue growth? Together the Ottawa Business Journal and Ottawa Chamber of Commerce are once again looking for the fastest-growing companies in the region. No matter what industry you’re in – if you’re a startup or a seasoned player – your company may qualify.

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Application deadline: Friday, April 15, 2016

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“It’s been very effective. There is no disputing when an issue does arise. The reports are 100 per cent accurate.” — IT ADMINISTRATOR KEVIN PORSCHE, ON CURRENTWARE’S BROWSEREPORTER SOFTWARE

Still, not everyone is thrilled about the trend toward constant Internet surveillance in the workplace. While acknowledging that employers have the right to know how workers are using company equipment during office hours, privacy advocates argue that managers also have a duty to inform their employees they are being monitored. “It becomes covert surveillance and that’s a trickier kind of thing,” says Brenda McPhail, the director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association’s Privacy, Surveillance and Technology Project. “If they’re doing this and it’s above board, they have the right to do it, but they also need to tell employees exactly what’s happening.” Such constant monitoring also erodes the worker-manager relationship, she

says. “There is, I would suggest, probably a real tradeoff between keeping employees feeling like they’re valued and contributing members of the organization versus being watched and not trusted,” Ms. McPhail says. “It can be very poisonous to a workplace environment even if it’s not technically illegal.” But CurrentWare product manager Sue Pabari says the demand for her company’s products isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. “When we first started off in this business, it seemed one-dimensional, you know, just Windows PCs,” she says. “But now, we are thrown into the influx of not just PCs, but a whole range of (operating systems) and devices out there. Keeping up with (new technology) keeps us ticking.”

CurrentWare’s Sue Pabari and Jay Lakhani say business is growing. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

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HOW CAN YOU HELP HARNESS THE POTENTIAL OF THE NEXT GENERATION? UOTTAWA’S TELFER SCHOOL SEEKS DONORS TO REACH FUNDRAISING GOAL

f you want to build a career in global finance, wouldn’t it be great to get your foot in the door on Bay Street? Or how about Hong Kong for international commerce in the Asian market?

• Support forward-thinking research into navigating the complex management challenges facing society.

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Alain Doucet, Assistant Dean of External Relations at the University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management, doesn’t spend much time in his office. He’s often on an airplane, visiting alumni, existing donors and other business leaders • Help transform learning inside and outside the class, with an eye in specific markets around the globe. to increasing the career potential Why? To secure fresh funds and of graduates. open the doors that will help students and recent grads lever their education • Help develop a global mindset into great careers. This is a process of in students and faculty, with a curriculum that reflects an building long-term relationships that international focus. can’t be done over the phone.

MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016

“It’s a big investment of intellect, energy and emotion to earn the privilege of asking someone for their support,” Doucet said.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Capital a tough draw for animation firms

That won’t happen, he says, because the nation’s capital is a tough sell to Millennials, who make up the company’s prime target market for new talent. While he loves his adopted home and believes it offers something for everyone, he says many potential recruits aren’t getting that message. “The things that are important to them at that age, I think Ottawa has those things, but it does a really poor job of marketing itself to that demographic,” he says. “Fully half of the effort that we expend in recruiting is just idea that was here in town.’” getting people over that hump of moving to Rick Morrison, president of local studio Ottawa and seeing it as a positive thing.” Big Jump Productions, has lived in Ottawa Mr. Eland is calling on the city to since 1982 and agrees animation is an collaborate with the industry and agencies underappreciated economic sector in the such as Invest Ottawa and its Ottawa Film capital. Office to come up with a “unified message” “The animation industry probably they can pitch to talented young people in dwarfs the live action industry here in creative industries such as animation. Ottawa. We’re a sleeping giant, really,” “Why is Ottawa a fantastic place to come says Mr. Morrison, who employs about 70 when you’re 20 to 35? If we’re all saying the people and concedes finding talent can be same thing, we have a better chance of “somewhat of a challenge sometimes.” having that message heard. Whereas if we’re Mr. Eland, who founded Mercury in all picking and choosing our own sound Vancouver in 1997 before transferring its bites, it just becomes noise.” main operations first to Toronto and then to Invest Ottawa currently runs a “Why Ottawa in 2004, says he could hire another Ottawa?” multimedia campaign that couple of hundred people tomorrow and touts the benefits of living, working and have no trouble putting them to work, such owning a business in the National Capital is the demand for his firm’s productions. Region. But Mr. Eland suggests a more

City’s reputation as a ‘sleepy town’ makes finding the talent needed to expand a challenge, head of Ottawa’s largest studio says BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca

lint Eland echoes a refrain familiar to many CEO in Ottawa’s hightech sector these days: his office is bursting at the seams and he says he couldn’t find enough skilled workers to fill the cubicles even if he were to expand. Mr. Eland doesn’t make software or communications systems. His company, Mercury Filmworks, employs 250 people who produce animated features and TV shows for the likes of Disney, Netflix, Warner Brothers and Nickelodeon as well as the firm’s own original projects. Mercury is one of about five local animation studios that are producing content for customers around the world

and have helped Ottawa forge a reputation as an industry leader. Yet Mr. Eland says that hard-won respect often doesn’t mean much come hiring time. “We have a real problem attracting talent to the region from Toronto and Vancouver and Montreal, where there’s a bigger industry,” he says. “You wind up fighting this uphill battle against the perception that Ottawa is a sleepy town, it’s boring and there’s nothing to do. “We get overshadowed by the fed and high-tech. One’s big and one’s very sexy, and then animation and entertainment sort of fall into the shadows and nobody notices. Whenever I talk to folks, they go, ‘Hey, what do you do? And I’m like, ‘I make cartoons. We run one of the most respected studios in the world.’ They go, ‘Oh, really? I had no

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“Fully half of the effort that we expend in recruiting is just getting people over that hump of moving to Ottawa and seeing it as a positive thing.” – CLINT ELAND, PRESIDENT OF MERCURY FILMWORKS

targeted approach to younger employees emphasizing the city’s nightlife and cultural institutions is required to paint a more wellrounded picture of the capital as a place to have fun as well as raise children. “It really revolves around selling a lifestyle to individuals that are in relationships and maybe thinking about getting married or having a family and that this is a place where they can actually put down roots,” he says. “But it’s an uphill battle. I’d love for the city to acknowledge that it has this image problem, if it hasn’t already, and to help us as businesses … add more things to our tool kit to sell the city. I feel like it should be more of a partnership as opposed to all of us having our own version of selling the city.” Bruce Harvey, the head of the Ottawa Film Office, says Mercury’s struggle to find

YOU

talent is hardly unique, adding animation companies in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver face the same issue. But he acknowledges Ottawa’s traditional image hasn’t helped. “I think there’s something to that,” he says. “Sometimes you want to go to the bigger hub because it gives you more diversity. I think there is some of the view of Ottawa being just a government town. Quite often, we don’t promote how hip the city really is. I think that can be a bit of a stumbling block.” Still, Mr. Eland says Mercury’s revenues have shown “solid” growth over the past decade and he has no regrets about his decision to set up shop in the capital. “Ottawa’s been a great home for us. The company that we’ve built here in the past 12 years is exactly the company that I’d hoped to build.”

Clint Eland moved Mercury Filmworks to Ottawa in 2004. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

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Bourchier 1946 and tax services; insolvency; corporate restructuring; estate and succession planning; 5 613-728-5831 / 613-728-8085 real estate; medical and dental professionals; construction; not-for-profits ggfl.ca Marcil Lavallée 400-1420 Blair Pl. 2 Auditing and accounting; taxation; financial and management services; Ottawa, ON K1J 9L8 65 10 Lionel Nolet 1980 1 business start-ups; accounting personnel recruitment 613-745-8387 / 613-745-9584 marcil-lavallee.ca MNP 110-495 Richmond Rd. Assurance; accounting; tax; consulting; succession planning; enterprise risk; 1 Ottawa, ON K2A 4B2 48 11 Michael Dimitriou 1981 corporate finance; valuations; forensics; mergers and acquisitions; 94 613-691-4200 / 613-726-9009 corporate restructuring and recovery; cybersecurity; bankruptcy mnp.ca McCay Duff LLP 141 Laurier Ave., 6th Floor Full service, including: auditing; accounting; taxation (corporate and personal); 1 Blair Davidson Ottawa, ON K1P 5J3 47 8 1946 business advisory; business valuation; corporate reorganizations; fund administration; 0 Jason Howarth 613-236-2367 / 613-236-5041 succession planning; business purchase and sales mccayduff.com Logan Katz LLP 105-6 Gurdwara Rd. Personal; corporate; SR&ED; cross-border; U.S. taxation; tax planning and compliance; 1 Ottawa, ON K2E 8A3 39 7 Gary Katz 1994 assurance; business advisory; corporate reorganization; back office support; 0 613-228-8282 / 613-228-8284 estate and succession planning; recruiting services; bookkeeping logankatz.com Hendry Warren LLP 200-881 Lady Ellen Pl. Full service; small and medium entrepreneurial businesses; audit; accounting and taxation 1 Ottawa, ON K1Z 5L3 36 5 Marie Fraser 2002 for individual and corporate clients; corporate restructuring; estate planning; 0 613-235-2000 / 613-235-2643 succession planning; purchase and sale of business; start-up advisory; bookkeeping hwllp.ca Andrews & Co. Chartered Professional Accountants Audit and assurance; business management services (outsourcing); personal; corporate 540 Lacolle Way 1 Jeff LeBlanc 36 4 1979 and estates/trusts taxation; financial statements; bookkeeping; business succession Orleans, ON K4A 0N9 1 David Brighten planning; restructuring and financing; bank financing; mentoring; planning 613-837-8282 / 613-837-7482 andrews.ca Crowe BGK LLP 400-340 March Rd. Audit and accounting; business advisory; mergers and acquisitions; 1 Kanata, ON K2K 2E4 27 4 Michael B. McCrann 1950 SRED and government grants; U.S. tax; personal and corporate tax; reorganizations; 1 613-836-8228 / 613-836-8338 estate planning; commodity tax bgk.ca Parker Prins Lebano 1796 Courtwood Cr. 1 Ottawa, ON K2C 2B5 18 5 Steve Parker 1996 Full service, except bankruptcy 0 613-727-7474 / 613-727-3715 parkerprinslebano.com Bouris, Wilson LLP 1701 Woodward Dr. 1 Ottawa, ON K2C 0R4 15 7 Jennel Recoskie 1960 Full service, except bankruptcy, actuarial and benefits 0 613-727-8500 / 613-727-8500 bouriswilson.com McIntyre & Associates Professional Corp. 200-900 Morrisson Dr. 1 Ottawa, ON K2H 8K7 12 2 James S. McIntyre 1981 Full service, except actuarial and benefits 0 613-726-7788 / 613-729-4477 mcintyreca.com Ouseley Hanvey Clipsham Deep LLP 200-205 Catherine St. 1 Ottawa, ON K2P 1C3 12 0 Eric Wilson 1984 Accounting; auditing; corporate tax; personal tax; financial consulting services 0 613-562-2010 / 613-562-2012 ohcd.ca WND = Would not disclose. Should your company be on this list? If so, please send details to research@obj.ca This list is current as of March 28. © 2016 by Ottawa Business Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced by any method in whole or in part without written permission by Ottawa Business Journal. While every attempt is made to ensure the thoroughness and accuracy of the list, omissions and errors sometimes occur. Please send any corrections or additions by e-mail to research@obj.ca. OBJ lists are primarily compiled using information provided voluntarily by the organizations named. Some firms that may qualify for the list are not included because the company either failed to respond to requests for information by press time, because the company declined to take part in the survey or because of space constraints. Categories are drawn up in attempt to gather information of relevance to the Ottawa market. Research by Patti Moran. Please send questions and comments to research@obj.ca.

LARGEST ACCOUNTING FIRMS

18 18

FOR THE RECORD People on the move

Contracts The following contains information about recent contracts, standing offers and supply arrangements awarded to local firms.

Don Marks recently joined Jones Lang LaSalle in Ottawa as vice-president of the tenant representation group. Mr. Marks has more than 30 years of commercial real estate expertise including market analysis and forecasting, appraisals and valuation, asset management planning and tenant brokerage representation.

Donna Cona Inc. 106 Colonnade Rd. Description: Informatics professional services Buyer: Correctional Service of Canada $9,034,011 S.i. Systems Ltd. 170 Laurier Ave. W. Description: Informatics professional services Buyer: Health Canada $7,135,178

Hats off Clearford Water Systems has won the Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association 2016 Corporate Innovation Award. The award recognizes Clearford’s innovative pay-for-performance financing model.

an outstanding contribution as a litigator or solicitor and contributed greatly to the community. The Gordon F. Henderson Award recipient is Katie Black from CazaSaikaley LLP. This award recognizes a lawyer who has demonstrated outstanding community service. The Shevaun Ensor-Harrison, a student Carleton Medal recipient is Heather at the University of Ottawa, received Williams from Cavanagh LLP. The the 2016 HSBC Woman Leader of award is given to lawyers who are Tomorrow award for Central Canada most deserving of recognition for spearheading the development for great diligence, high ideals and launch of Enactus, uOttawa’s and outstanding leadership in the first social enterprise benefitting practice of law. local immigrant women through the learning of a valuable craft. This The National Association of year, Ms. Ensor-Harrison took on Professional Women has honoured the role of vice-president of project Rosemary Chapdelaine as a 2015management with her Enactus team, 16 inductee into its VIP Woman of overseeing more than 100 people. the Year Circle for her leadership in aerospace and defence. Ms. The County of Carleton Law Chapdelaine has held positions Association has recognized three at Lockheed Martin in the United local women at its 2016 annual States, Canada and the United general meeting and awards Kingdom during her 20-year career banquet. Alayna Miller received with the company, working on the Regional Senior Justice Award complex system integration projects. from Mann Lawyers LLP. The award She is currently vice-president and is presented to a lawyer in practice general manager at Lockheed Martin 10 years or less who has made Canada.

Ibiska Telecom Inc. 130 Albert St. Description: Informatics professional services Buyer: Health Canada $7,124,908 Pomerleau Inc. 343 Preston St. Description: Construction manager, lab renovation Buyer: PWGSC $6,137,512 Altis Human Resources (Ottawa) Inc. 102 Bank St. Description: Director

Tiree Facility Solutions Inc. 424 Parkdale Ave. Description: Gatineau 2 project Buyer: Library and Archives Canada $3,188,149

soldier systems program management Buyer: DND $5,509,155 Procom Consultants Group Ltd. and Emerion in joint venture 300 March Rd. Description: Informatics professional services Buyer: Health Canada $4,756,785

Royal Ottawa Health Care Group 1145 Carling Ave. Description: Medical (R&D) Buyer: DND $2,994,500

ADGA Group Consultants Inc. 110 Argyle Ave. Description: Informatics professional services Buyer: Health Canada $4,749,939

NAV Canada 77 Metcalfe St. Description: Property management – airfield and communications facilities Buyer: DND $1,130,000

iFathom Corp., Simfront Simulation Systems Corp., ING Engineering Inc., in joint venture 900 Morrison Dr. Description: Informatics professional services Buyer: Health Canada $3,963,988 Procom Consultants Group Ltd. and Emerion in joint venture 300 March Rd. Description: Informatics professional services Buyer: Health Canada $3,958,282

Advance Property Exposure Canada Inc. 1054 Grenon Ave. Description: Product/material – design, development, formulation, modification: science and technology related (R&D) Buyer: DND $752,580 Advanced Chippewa Technologies Inc. 802 Nesbitt Pl. Description: ADP software Buyer: Citizenship and Immigration Canada $736,303

- PENDING OFFER

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FOR LEASE:

2 Units, 2,100 sq.ft. each Excellent street exposure In the heart of Old Ottawa South Landlord negotiable! cherylkl@clvgroup.com CLV Realty Corporation, Brokerage

19 $1,375,000

OBJ.CA

Cheryl Kardish-Levitan, Broker 613-604-0608

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